DENVER, Colorado — For the past 11 years, Jesús has had a similar routine. Every morning, he'll load up his paleta cart with paletas and ice creams from Paleteria Zacatecas off Morrison Road in Denver's Westwood neighborhood.
Most days, he'll grab about 180 items between paletas, esquimales and ice creams, grabbing flavors he knows will sell best on his route for the day.
"Because I have an idea of which one sells more," Jesús said.
So much of his life as a paletero is out of his control. The weather will play the biggest role along with what day of the week it is. His best days are the weekends, so he'll usually go to a route in Montbello near construction sites during the week.
"Less competition. Besides, the further away you go, the better it is," Jesús said. "For example, I come to the construction sites because, for example, the children are at school in the morning. There are few people at home. Everyone is working, and I come to the construction sites, at the schools, when they leave school."
The job is seasonal and typically lasts around seven to nine months depending on the weather. The last month of the season is typically November but last year, Jesus was able to sell through December with an unusually warm start to the winter.
"The seasonal period more or less starts around March, depending on the weather," Jesús said. "Depending on the temperature. For example, for me, it's almost always 60 degrees or more. With this, I have been selling for 11 years and well, every time, I am experimenting more with things, getting to know more people, more clients."
His best days of the week tend to be either Saturday or Sunday with his best months during the hottest, between June and July.
Eleven years ago, Jesús decided to become a paletero when his firstborn daughter was diagnosed with autism. It was one of the only jobs that offered him flexibility after the diagnosis.
"I have three children, and when I had my first daughter, she was diagnosed with autism," Jesús said. "And then, imagine, that I had a lot of appointments. I had to be in a lot of therapy appointments, taking her. This job, for example, you can do them during the morning."
The job allows him to have an impromptu schedule.
"You can choose your schedule," Jesús said. "You decide depending on your experience as well because in the afternoon there are more sales, and it all depends."
During the off-season, Jesús will try to find work in construction, landscaping or administration jobs.
"It is seasonal, it only lasts certain months and well, it ends," Jesús said. "What’s good about this job, with time you meet many people, you will gain more experience, more clients, that is what I think."
When adults hear the bells, they'll often think of their childhood.
"For example, the traditions of Mexico in Mexico, well that's how they are and so the memories of childhood come back," Jesús said. "When we pass by and they hear the bells, the children come running out, and it makes us happy too."
Editor's note: The quotes in this story have been translated from Spanish to English.